The Political Role of Italian Anti-violence Centers (CAV) and LGBTQ+ Centers Against Discrimination (CAD) in the Public Sphere

Abstract

In Italy, violence against women and LGBTQ+ people is constantly increasing, but despite this, policies implemented to address these issues have, so far, been fragmented and weak. This paper addresses the political conflict surrounding gender-based violence and focuses on the political role of Anti-violence Centers (also known as CAV) and LGBTQ+ Centers Against Discrimination (CAD). We present the main results of a research conducted with a qualitative approach (in-depth interviews, interviews with key informants) to reconstruct, from a comparative perspective, some of the best practices in prevention, education, and awareness by Anti-Violence and LGBTQ+ Centers Against Discrimination with a particular focus on the specific case study of the CAD in Reggio Calabria.